Cornell among 373 Best Colleges, theatre program among best in nation

Cornell College was selected as one of the best undergraduate institutions in the nation in the 2011 edition of The Princeton Review 373 Best Colleges, and its theatre program was ranked 15th in the nation.

The ranking for Cornell’s theatre program increased from 16th last year to 15th this year. Reviews and rankings are based on a survey of students.

“We’re very passionate about the theatre at Cornell, as are our students,” said theatre professor Mark Hunter. “We’re pleased when that passion is appreciated.”

Only about 15 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and two Canadian colleges are profiled in the book, which is The Princeton Review’s flagship college guide.  It includes detailed profiles of the colleges with rating scores for all schools in eight categories, plus ranking lists of top 20 schools in 62 categories based on The Princeton Review’s surveys of students attending the colleges.

“As many students begin their college search by referencing college guides, we are pleased that Cornell is annually recognized among the nation’s finest colleges in such publications,” said Jonathan Stroud, vice president for enrollment.

“Although we take great pride in the excellence of all of our academic programs, we are nonetheless delighted by the special mention of the college’s dynamic theatre program,” he added.

Cornell has consistently been recognized as a top institution and as highly affordable by various college ranking guides. Cornell was ranked in the U.S. News & World Report’s top tier for liberal arts colleges and was featured as among “Schools to Watch” and “Great Schools, Great Prices.” Most recently The Fiske Guide to Colleges ranked Cornell as a Best Buy.

Cornell was also ranked in the top 25 liberal arts colleges in the nation by Forbes, and has been named a College of Distinction, and one of the 40 Colleges That Change Lives.